


Adorned

by whetherwoman



Category: Think of England - K. J. Charles
Genre: Archie can't talk about sex, Daniel can't talk about emotions, Dirty Talk, M/M, Nipple Piercings, Nipple Play, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Shameless Smut, What a brilliant match they are
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-02 02:42:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17879567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whetherwoman/pseuds/whetherwoman
Summary: There might be two or three words of this story that aren't unrelenting smut.





	Adorned

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you SO much to Olive2read for the help with piercing realism. Any remaining unlikely jewelry shenanigans are entirely my fault.
> 
> Warnings slash apologies in the end notes.

They had supper out that evening, at a nondescript club in a good neighborhood, but not too far from Daniel’s lodging. They had eaten there several times, the clientele a comforting mix of younger sons and up-and-coming tradesmen, where neither Daniel’s Bohemian attitude nor Archie’s soldierly demeanor stood out. Their usual table was comfortably tucked away in a corner, making conversation quite private under the noisy hum of the dining room. But of course the location was the prime draw; what could be more natural after dinner than a stroll together to Daniel’s for a nightcap? And if the nightcap lasted through til morning, well, who would know?

Daniel had been called away for the past several weeks on work, for once without Archie at his side. Archie had chafed at his exclusion, but Sir Maurice had held firm. Archie was no dissembler, and occasionally Daniel was required to deal with certain issues that were simply safer as a one-man job. Archie had remained closeted with Sir Maurice for hours after receiving that news, and had emerged grim but reassured that the physical risk to Daniel was minimal. Still, Daniel knew he would prefer reassurance of quite a different kind that Daniel was now home safe. So of course, Daniel had embraced his inner tease and demanded that they meet for dinner before proceeding to a more intimate environment. He relished the way his skin prickled under Archie’s heavy gaze, the way Archie kept losing track of what he was saying when Daniel tilted his head, or smoothed his napkin, or—once—licked a drop of gravy off the end of his finger. 

Archie seemed to grow even more uncomfortable as the hour passed, however. Daniel eyed him over the detritus of their supper. He was toying with his fork, and seemed unusually restless—he kept catching himself halfway through movements, as if stuck by a pin. He seemed to be avoiding Daniel’s eyes as well. 

At last he looked up, as well he might—Daniel was staring quite blatantly at him now. He looked away quickly, though, and—were his ears turning red? Interesting. Very interesting. Daniel had learned to associate that particular trait with good things to come, pun fully intended. Archie had a British gentleman’s horror of speaking of certain things, yet Daniel had found that, with the smallest encouragement, some increasingly filthy desires hid under the proper exterior. 

So it was with not a little amusement that he leaned forward to touch Archie’s wrist and said, “Out with it, my dear.” He was expecting a stuttered confession, a blushing request for something Archie worried would horrify Daniel. Never mind that Daniel had never once been anything of the sort. Intrigued, yes; frequently tempted, and occasionally fascinated; but never yet horrified. And still Archie turned pink and avoided his eyes. It was charming, really. 

But Archie didn’t say anything, only fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a small box. He reached for Daniel’s hand, turned it over and slipped the box into his palm. 

Daniel stilled. It was clearly a jewelry box. But Archie couldn’t possibly—he wouldn’t have thought that Daniel could want—

Unable to stand the uncertainty, he opened the box with a flick of his thumb. And it was—

Well. It was jewelry, though not a ring. Not one designed for a finger, at least. Daniel pulled it closer, the gas light reflecting off the silver filigree. He couldn’t take his eyes off it. The bar across the top, solid and shining between two small balls. The intricate strands running below it, twisting in an elaborate chain. He reached out a fingertip to delicately touch the small, tasteful emerald nestled in the middle. 

Archie made a noise and Daniel’s head jerked up, a visceral reaction to that particular sound he’d only heard in bed before—it could only be called a growl. He stared at Archie for a long moment, caught in blue eyes that were now fixed on him. 

He reached into his pocket without taking his eyes off Archie, pulled out some uncounted number of bills, and placed them carefully on the table. Then he snapped the box shut, stood and whirled around without a word. He was halfway to the door by the time he heard Archie’s chair scrape back, and out the door before he felt Archie’s presence at his back, his long strides easily catching up with Daniel. 

The walk to Daniel’s rooms had never seemed so long. By the time Daniel was fumbling at his own door he felt himself on fire, his brain filled with smoke. The door was hardly shut behind them before Archie had him pressed back against it, his mouth hot and overwhelming on Daniel’s, his strong arms wrapped around Daniel’s waist until Daniel was lifted onto the tips of his toes. 

They stumbled across the room to the bed, Daniel hardly knew how. Archie’s pants were lost along the way while his shirt stayed somehow untouched, and Archie’s single-minded focus on Daniel’s chest left him with his shirt dangling from one arm and his cock jutting obscenely out of barely undone trousers. Archie thumped backwards on to the bed and Daniel found himself straddling his lap, thrusting impatiently against one thick thigh as Archie’s blond head bent to his chest, his tongue and teeth worrying the ring there. Daniel couldn’t control the sounds coming out of his own mouth, mewlings and half-voiced imprecations. “Keep—ah fuck— _Archie_ —no, wait.”

Archie pulled back immediately and looked up at him, eyes hot and mouth rubbed red and wet. Daniel couldn’t help a whimper. He fumbled the jewelry box out of his pocket and pressed it into Archie’s hand. “I want—put it—put it on me.”

“Oh, fuck,” Archie muttered. His hips thrust helplessly against Daniel’s clothed arse. He opened the little box and carefully took out the jewelry. Daniel swallowed thickly—the delicate strands made Archie’s fingers look impossibly thick and strong.

Archie paused and looked up at Daniel helplessly. “How do I —where does it—”

Daniel smirked and reached out, then paused. “I’ll—why don’t I—Would you like me to tell you?”

Archie stared at him a second longer, then reached up and pulled Daniel down into a bruising kiss. “Daniel. Yes. Tell me what to do.”

Something hot and satisfied uncoiled in Daniel’s gut. He knew Archie responded to his voice and words, he wasn’t blind. But to hear him say so—to have him _ask_ —

Well. He felt the corners of his mouth curl. He could do that. He could certainly do that.

“Well, my dear, if you want to put something _in_ , you must first open up a space for it.”

Archie gulped. 

Daniel lowered his voice, soft and intimate. “Take my ring in your thumb and forefinger.”

Archie did. He still had his glove on his right hand—he rarely took it off unless Daniel specifically asked. Usually Daniel preferred the feeling of skin, but tonight the sight of the black leather against his skin made his breath catch.

“Turn it—just a bit. Feel how it clings to the skin?” 

Archie nodded. His breath shook, but his fingers were steady against Daniel.

“Now find the bead. It’s just a small nub, isn’t it? Have you noticed it before?”

Archie nodded again.

“Tell me,” Daniel prodded.

“Yes,” Archie said. His voice was hoarse. “When I… with my tongue. When I put my mouth on you.”

“Mmm,” Daniel said, and rewarded him by grinding sinuously down against him. Archie’s fingers clenched, tugging just a bit and making Daniel’s breath catch in response, before he took in a deliberate breath and loosened them again.

“Find it now,” Daniel murmured. “Catch it between your fingers. Rub it a little.” He found himself grinding down again, half unconsciously, in response to the delicious pull of Archie’s fingers and the even more delicious rush of his obedience. “Feel how hard it is? God, you could make me come just like this, couldn’t you?”

“Yes,” Archie whispered. He was pushing up against Daniel, small unintentional jerks of his hips. His eyes were fixed on his fingers, rubbing the bead so delicately.

“Mm, not yet though.” Daniel let himself smile. “You want to see me wearing _your_ jewelry, don’t you? You want to see it dangling under my nipple, want to see what happens when you tug—”

“ _Yes_ ,” Archie said. His voice shook.

“Take the other side of the ring,” Daniel said, and Archie reached up with his whole left hand to follow instructions. “Grasp it, and put your thumb—there—” he guided Archie’s thumb to press firmly on the bead—“and—”

The bead popped out and ricocheted across the floor.

“Oh!” Archie pushed himself halfway off the bed, twisting away from Daniel to look around.

“Leave it, love,” Daniel said.

“But—it went—”

“Leave. It.” Daniel yanked Archie’s head around and took his mouth, using every trick he knew with tongue and lips to gain Archie’s attention. By the time he was done, Archie was panting and trembling underneath him, his eyes hazy but fully focused on Daniel.

Daniel smiled reassuringly at him. “Now.” He smoothed his hands down Archie’s sides, leaving Archie in full possession of the ring. “Slide it out. Slowly—make me wait for it.”

Archie’s hands shook just a bit as he twisted the ring around, as slowly as Daniel could wish. The ring slid free and Archie let his breath out in a gust. He leaned forward to take Daniel’s bare nipple in his mouth, but Daniel said, “Ah!” and he jerked back.

“Not yet,” Daniel said, touching a fingertip to Archie’s lips. Archie sucked it in hungrily, and Daniel groaned. “As much as I want it, not yet. Get the—god, _fuck_ —” His voice broke as Archie bit at his finger. “Archie, your _mouth_ —get the, put it on me, Archie—”

Archie scrambled for the jewelry and carefully twisted the end piece and one side of the chain off the bar, his thick fingers trembling. He put the bare end to Daniel’s nipple. His brow creased adorably and Daniel desperately wanted to smooth it, kiss it, but instead he held himself achingly still as Archie began to press. 

“That’s right, put it in me,” he murmured. Archie growled low in his throat, but Daniel continued over him. “Put your ring on me, I want it, want you to look at me and know that I’m, that I’m—”

And then it was through. Archie slipped the end of the chain over and tried to twist the end post back on. His fingers slipped, catching on the chain, and Daniel gasped. Archie took a deep breath, carefully gripped the metal again, and painstakingly began to turn it. His eyes were fixed hungrily to it, his lips were parted and wet—

“ _Archie_ ,” Daniel said, in a voice he hardly recognized, and finally—finally!—Archie leaned forward and his mouth was on Daniel. Daniel stuffed the side of his own hand in his mouth as Archie’s left hand found his cock, and Archie _bit_ , and the world dissolved in a haze of white and heat and Archie. 

Daniel gasped for air. “Good god,” he said feelingly, and opened his eyes—when had he closed them? Archie’s shirt was a mess. He leaned down anyway and took Archie’s mouth with his own. Archie groaned into him, his hips twitching up. “Mm,” Daniel said, satiated and feeling generous. He twisted against Archie sinuously, Archie’s cock rigid and hot beneath him. 

Archie groaned again. “Minx,” he said appreciatively, and leaned up for another kiss.

Daniel started to work on his shirt buttons. “Let’s get this off,” Daniel said, “and then—”

Wait. That wasn’t. What was he. He yanked Archie’s shirt open the rest of the way, heedless of the button that skittered away across the floor. 

It was. It was a small, discrete bar, a simple band of metal with no distinction other than a tiny emerald on the upper end, perfectly matched to Daniel’s. It was _in Archie’s nipple_.

“Fuck,” Daniel breathed. 

Archie swallowed visibly. “I was in the shop, getting—and the chap said he had this one too,” he said disjointedly. “Matching, you see, with the—and I thought about how much you—and if I would—do you like it?”

“Fuck,” Daniel said again, with emphasis. “Archie. Do I—” He gently touched one end, the side with the emerald, and listened with satisfaction as Archie’s breath caught. Archie had never before shown the same preference for nipple play as Daniel—at least, not his own nipples—but it seemed his piercing had had a similarly sensitizing effect. Archie’s face was a familiar mix of uncertainty and desire, an expression Daniel had learned to take great pleasure in prompting.

So he touched the bar again, more firmly, and listened to Archie take in a shuddering breath. He tugged it, just a bit, and over Archie’s too loud “Ha!” said firmly, “I’m going to show you how much I like it.”

He swung off of Archie’s lap, avoiding Archie’s grasping hands and incoherent “What—no—”

“You’ll enjoy this too, I promise,” he said, wriggling out of his pants and slipping behind Archie. He slid a leg on either side of him and pulled Archie back to half recline against him, heedless of his still-wet cock pressing against Archie’s back. He put his mouth next to Archie’s ear and murmured, “Take yourself in hand.”

“But—I thought you—” Archie said, following instructions. “What will you be doing?”

“I?” Daniel said. “I’ll be doing _this_ —” and he reached around to tug firmly at Archie’s piercing. Archie’s head dropped back against Daniel’s shoulder, giving him a perfect view of Archie’s hand spasming around his cock, squeezing out a bead of fluid. Archie’s other hand landed on Daniel’s thigh, squeezing no less firmly for the lack of fingers. “And while you do _that_ ,” Daniel continued, “I’ll be telling you—exactly—how to do it.”

And he did, whispering increasingly filthy things in Archie’s ear, pulling and twisting at Archie’s nipple and glorying in Archie’s increasingly loud and desperate noises. In a gratifyingly short amount of time Archie was fucking up into his own hand, until at the moment of crisis Daniel took his mouth, muffling his shout of completion and letting them both fall back onto the bed, shuddering and replete. 

They lay together afterwards, breath evening out in rhythm. Archie had made a brief attempt to get up and reach for a cloth to wipe them off, but Daniel had maneuvered himself over Archie’s broad chest until he could rest his head on the unadorned side. When he reached over to gently pull on the piercing, Archie flopped back with a huff of breath, and let Daniel do as he pleased. 

Daniel was half asleep, warm and sated, when Archie spoke.

“I wouldn’t give you a ring for your finger,” Archie said, his chest rumbling under Daniel’s ear. “Not like that. I know you wouldn’t like that.”

Daniel hummed his agreement, keeping his eyes closed. Archie was right, he wouldn’t like that at all, of course. Wouldn’t accept anything of the kind, from anyone and certainly not from Archie.

“And I know,” Archie said, even quieter, “that it doesn’t matter whether you wear my ring, on your finger or under your shirt. It doesn’t change your heart. Or mine.” 

Daniel made himself breathe, even and slow. He was asleep, he couldn’t hear whatever it was Archie had just said, he was—

“I know you’re awake,” Archie said, amusement clear in his voice. “Your foot always twitches right before you fall asleep.”

Daniel gave it up and rolled on to his back with a sigh. “Well, you’ve given it away,” he said, staring up at the ceiling. “Now I know how to deceive you.”

“I still have a few secrets,” Archie said. 

“It’s not that I—” Daniel said to the ceiling. “It’s just that—I suppose I’m—I’m better with words than this, usually, it’s only—”

He was cut off as Archie flipped to loom over him and kiss him quite thoroughly. Daniel made a token noise of protest, but quickly gave it up as entirely counter to his priorities and instead focused on sliding his hands up Archie’s large biceps where they bracketed his shoulders.

“That’s what I’m saying,” Archie mumbled into his mouth. Daniel made an inquisitive noise, having entirely forgotten what they were talking about, and then a more disappointed noise as Archie pulled back to look him in the eye. “You do like your words, Daniel. And, well, obviously I do too.” He blushed, absurdly, and Daniel traced the pink curve of his ear. “But you don’t need to. That’s what I’m saying. I know.”

“Right,” Daniel said faintly. 

Apparently satisfied with this, Archie gave him a final firm kiss and flopped back over. 

Daniel stared up at the ceiling. He thought he could feel the earth spinning beneath him, felt as though an earthquake had moved everything he thought he knew a centimeter to the left. Who could sleep in a world this strange and new?

But it turned out, with Archie’s hand spread warmly over his chest, and Archie’s breath in his ear, he could.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I should warn for taking out and putting in nipple jewelry - if you don’t want that described in painfully loving detail, this is not the story for you. Not literally painful for the characters (except in the fun way). Just way too much detail.
> 
> This is straight from my id and possibly the smuttiest thing I’ve ever written. Welcome to my id, apparently there are nipples here.
> 
> Things I looked up while working on this story: Nipple jewelry, obv. Reddit thread on nipple sensitivity after piercings. Charvet Place Vendome’s model laundry. The Bloomsbury Group. A Victorian-era magazine called English Mechanic and the World of Science. Oxidation processes of different precious metals. The etymology of the Norwegian word "skutla". Let's hear it for heavily researched porn where literally none of the research ends up in the actual porn. 
> 
> Did you know “nipple” sounds really weird when you say it many times in a row? Nipple nipple nipple.


End file.
